There’s no one in the world more closely associated with trivia than Ken Jennings. The legendary Jeopardy player turned host has used his big brain to earn millions on various shows, but how often does he use it to win $25 gift cards to Chili’s?
Most people playing trivia aren’t doing it on Jeopardy! They’re doing it at local bars around the world, not to make a living but to pick up bragging rights and sometimes, a six pack of beer and a gift card to a nearby restaurant. During a recent audience Q&A on Jeopardy, Jennings was asked if he ever stops by a local bar to “stunt on those hoes” and show off how good he is? He was clearly very amused by the question but then gave a thoughtful answer..
Just stunt on those hoes? I do not play much bar trivia, I have to say. It’s kind of an awkward situation. Like, it’s weird if I win. It’s weird if I lose. Like no one’s happy either way, I think.
There’s actually a parallel here with professional athletes, especially basketball players. You sometimes hear about the best NBA players stopping by Rucker Park or some other outdoor game to surprise the local players and play a little pick-up hoops. Most players don’t do that, however, because the dynamic can sometimes be very awkward (shoutout Adam Sandler). Everyone watching expects you to dominate, but the opposing players, fueled by adrenaline and perhaps their only chance to play a pro, sometimes play extremely hard and get very competitive.
Trivia obviously doesn’t have the same risk of injury, but there are many people who take it very seriously. There is also always an element of randomness to any knowledge based game. Jennings might know way more than me about most things, as an example, but there are certainly some random categories I would have the edge in because I have specialized knowledge and have spent more time engaging with the material. So, there’s always a very real risk of losing, especially within a small sample size.
Even if he’s not hitting up local trivia nights, Jennings has built a really good connection with his fellow trivia fans since he first went on that epic Jeopardy run. Despite some initial questions, he’s really settled into his role as Alex Trebek’s replacement host on Jeopardy, and at this point, it seems likely he’ll carry the mantle for decades to come. He also seems to be well-liked by the other high level trivia players and has a good rapport with the audience, as you can see in the video of the Q&A question that’s, of course, going viral.
Jennings’ funny answer is also reminding fans of perhaps his most iconic moment as a player on Jeopardy. The contestants were given a clue that asked for a term that means both a long-handled gardening tool and an immoral pleasure seeker. Jennings responded with, “What is a hoe?” but later found out they were looking for “rake.” The clip is perhaps the most shared in Jeopardy history, and for the record, he still thinks his response should have been counted. I do too.
You probably won’t catch Jennings at your local bar for trivia night, but you can still catch him every week night hosting Jeopardy!